Equine Infectious Anemia

STEVE: Equine infections anemia is a problem known as swamp fever, its
common name. This is a really serious problem, if you get it, mainly
because you’re not going to have your horse anymore. The government tests
this with a Coggins Test, named after the illustrious Dr. Coggins. It’s
done routinely, at least, once a year. In some states it’s done every six
months. Obviously, it’s a protozoan that’s transferred via vectors, mainly
horse flies are the most commonly incriminated. The clinical symptoms
are usually something chronic and no horse lasts long enough to see those
symptoms anymore. The biggest problem that you have is that they become a
carrier so therefore every time they get bit by a horse fly they can
transfer it to other horses.

So the reason you want to test is because if you get an outbreak you will
lose your horse. Eventually they will succumb to it and that horse will
become infectious. So the only way that you can limit this problem at all
is euthanasia of the individual. So if you get a positive test the state is
going to go ahead and run that test again, and if it turns out that that
horse is positive, it’s not a false positive, then you will have to
euthanize your horse. So therefore the testing is imperative and the
control of this particular problem on a regular basis is really going to be
regulated hard by both state and local governments.

ALEX: So obviously it’s important when you talk about the Coggins
Test, when you go across state lines if you’re going to a competition you
have to have this Coggins Test.

STEVE: Oh yeah, it’s imperative that if you have any interstate travel
it requires a current Coggins for that state. So the veterinarian filling
out your health certificate is going to need to know the rules and the laws
for were you’re traveling to or, at least, look it up and find out what is
required for interstate travel for the health certificate. It’s very
important.